This is Number 2
by Roxy.Ross
Summary: First instalment of This is Number 2. Further chapters will include the arrival of Mogadorians and the mysterious text post.
1. Chapter 1

It's a warm morning, and I'm already sweating and my mouth feels clammy. These are the consequences of over-sleeping. Wait. Over-sleeping? Ugh, I'm going to be late again. I roll onto my stomach and fumble in the sheets for my phone, to find that it is 7:55, really late. Obviously Sean isn't up because if he was he would already be shouting at me like a drill sergeant. Shuffling out of bed I throw on my pants while hopping to the door. If Sean wasn't awake before, he should be awake now, the floorboards are hammering beneath my giant sized feet. Why did my feet have to be so big? Makes me look like some kind of clown, it's bad enough that I'm the laughing stock of England; I also _look _like a joke. My shoes are half on half, with the heels of my feet levering on the back of my (far too worn out) Vans. I slam the door behind me, which will most likely mean I'm in for a tedious argument when I get back. I pick my skateboard from the side of the gate and set off on a run.

I enter the school grounds just as the bell chimes, which means I have either 5 minutes to get to room 115 or I'm already late. I hope to Pittacus I'm not because if I am I will have to stay back after school, which means I will miss an hour of training, and I'm already behind. The doors slide open and I tread softly through the atrium in the hopes that a teacher won't see me and scold me for being late. Just when I think I've been caught, I turn to see a year 10 girl who's been pestering me for weeks. "You scared the hell out of me" I say in a single breath of relief "why are you always following me, every time I turn my back you're there". She stares blankly at me and tilts her head "who says you aren't just following me, but you always just end up in front of me?" this thought slips through my mind so effortlessly I have to shake my head, not only to rid this stupidity from my brain but to also show my disinterest in this conversation. I turn on my heel and walk away, and as I do I hear light footsteps and a squeal that just manages to say "hey, wait!" I don't look to check, but I feel her presence, so I continue to look forward to establish some form of superiority. "Why are you always late, it's not like you don't get up early, I see you running at like 6 O'clock!" I slow my pace and look at her. "You know when I run? See? Who's the stalker now?" This makes her stutter and stumble with her words. Is she embarrassed? Maybe she likes me, I wouldn't know why; all of the girls in my year think I'm weird, it's like I said, Clown feet. "No, it's just, urm, well you run by my house, and well..." I cut her off before she turns tomato red. "Well remind me to change my route then." I make this my last comment of wit and head in to my classroom. The bell chimes and I realise this could be my lucky day.

As I twiddle my thumbs in the last lesson, Geography, I let my mind wander to think about that girl. I think her name is Carrie, that's what I heard one of her friends say anyway. I wonder if she does like me, she does seem to know a lot about me, and I'm not awful looking, am I?... Well apart from my feet. She's quite pretty too, for someone younger than me at least. Maybe I should ask her out some time. Wait, what am I thinking, there are like social rules about this stuff, you can't go out with someone younger than you in school! Well that Aiden does, but he's a creep. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if we just-"James! Are you listening? What are the differences between a subductive-destructive plate margin and a collisional plate margin?" Mr Dennis is always trying to catch me out for not listening or not doing work, but since this is my lucky day, I already know the answer. "Well, sir" I say, in the most snide way possible "a subductive plate margin creates ocean trenches or something like that." Mr. Dennis narrows his eyes on me, which just provokes me to be cockier, so I cross my arms and lean back in my chair, just as I feel his anger rising the bell goes, so I pick up my bag and and wink on my way out of the classroom. If only every day was like this.

Carrie asked me to walk home with her today, she lives quite far away from me but I didn't mind, so I said yes. I also asked her if she wanted to hang out with me on Saturday night, so we decided to go to the cinema, I bet she'll pick a soppy romance film, all girls are like that. When I did get home, I called to see if Sean was in. He wasn't, luckily (well suited too since it's my lucky day). Heather was though, she's not too bad, but sometimes it's sad to see her with Sean. You see, Sean decided to make our life here as inconspicuous as possible, so he decided it was time to get a girlfriend so we would look like a Real family. Obviously this is far from the truth because Sean isn't even my real dad, never mind Heather pretending to be my real mum. She's okay though, she doesn't tend to bother with me, so I get into my room and research whatever I can find on the Garde. I know we're not in real danger, because the Mogadorians don't even know we exist, so they won't find us on earth. But it would still be good to make sure the rest of the Garde haven't hung themselves or accidentally decapitated themselves. Sean said I'd know if that happened, he also said he didn't know how I would, but when the time came, I would know.


	2. Chapter 2

We got to the cinema about 6:45, and it seemed like it was Rom/Com weekend or something, because everywhere I looked there were teenage couples holding hands, laughing or gazing into each other's eyes blissfully. So cliché. This makes me surprised when the first suggestion of Carrie's is War of the Worlds. Personally, I hate Tom Cruise with all my soul, but a film about aliens that want to destroy someone's home planet, well, reminds me of Lorien. I bought us popcorn and a drink each and we made our way to the cinema number 3, which is when I catch Carrie sniggering at me. "What?" I say, in a half laugh, half question, "It's just the look you're giving all these people kissing, it's like you're going to puke" "I _am_ going to puke, It's sickening" once again she splits into laughter, and I cannot help but gawk at her, because she is really quite stunning. When we sit down, she turns to me and asks about me, and a bunch of other questions. I answer them, as formally as I always do, I do not like having to lie at the best of times but I really did not want to lie to Carrie, she feels trustworthy. If there's one thing I hate about living with humans, it's the lying. First we have to learn the lie, and every excruciating detail, and then we have to recite to every person we make any slight conversation with. It's exhausting. All this, and the Mogs haven't even found us on earth yet, if they ever will. They're definitely taking the time with the whole shebang.

We decided to get the train home. Calling either of our parents would be more trouble than it's worth, and since I'm supposed to be a big alien with superhuman abilities, we should be fine. There are no places to sit down, all the seats are taken by drugged up and passed out men with eyes sunken and clothes sodden, some of the great pleasures of living in northern England. I think this makes Carrie a little on edge because she wraps her arms and chest around my arm. Does she think this is a date? Is it a date? I hope it is, but I still don't really want her to think it is. We stop at our station and as soon as where off she exhales as she loosens her grip on my arm. The rest of the walk home she apologises for being so clingy "I'm sorry, I was just so nervous, they looked like evil aliens or something" This makes me wonder if that is what Mogs look like. "Awhh, did someone get frightened by the big scary film?" I tease, "That's not funny, what if your home planet was really overrun with aliens, what would you do?" This question makes me stop, I feel a chill on the back of my neck. I miss my mother, I miss my father. My real family, my real home. I want to cry but I can't, instead I answer with "I guess it would be quite sad" I continue walking because Carrie is exploding into a bluster about how "I would have no time to be upset" and that "I would be too busy trying not to die" I slip in and out of the conversation thinking about Lorien, how it looked and how I felt. I remember a time with my dad. It was early morning and he was downstairs reading a book. When I entered the kitchen, he looked up at me and said "you're always the first one to start trouble, I guess you just decided to start even earlier today" those were the last words I remember my father say. He died that, in the hands of a Mogadorian.

"James? James!? Are you okay?" we stood awkwardly outside Carrie's house. "I'm sorry I was just thinking about... Aliens" (least I wasn't lying) she cocked her head at me and squinted her eyes at me. "okay..." she fumbles with her hands and looks down. "um, would you like to come for tea tomorrow, there's something I need to talk to someone about, and you're the only person I could think of" Her eyes flicker against the streetlight, are those tears? "what what is it?" I say a little too hasty. Now I know she is really crying because I see streams of water roll off her cheeks and then she says something that makes my stomach turn.

"I think... um I think I'm moving to Malaysia"


	3. Chapter 3

I had always read that after hearing some shocking news, the character wouldn't be able to sleep. But as soon as I got in last night, I slept like a log. I was up early this morning, and I could already hear Sean downstairs chucking pots into the sink. I had my trainers and shorts on before 5:45 so I made why way downstairs to grab some breakfast. My nostrils flared in delight, I walked into the kitchen to find Sean had started cooking some bacon and eggs. "Mornin' kid! Bacon? Eggs?" I think he registers the look of shock on my face and just hums an "I don't know" in response. "Well then" I say trying to keep him a good mood "I'm going for a run, will you still be Mr Sunshine and rainbows when I get back?" he turns and hands me a sandwich full of the salty meat while shoving and handful into his own mouth. "mosht likely. But." He pauses only to chew "I won't be here caush I'm going out". This is barely a surprise, he always goes out constantly when he thinks he's onto something, sometimes he goes for a couple of weeks, I should worry, but I know he wouldn't do anything to get himself hurt. I check my watch and see it nearly 6. "oh man, I've got to go, see you later." Before he can respond I find the closest top I can find and head out the door.

When I see Carrie's house nearing I slow down, I was thinking of knocking at the door, but just as I get around the of her fence I see her kitted out head to toe in joggers, trainers and a baggy shirt that says "Hatful of Hallow" in blue. "What are you doing up?" I ask as she stretches left and right. "Well seen as I see you running every morning, I thought id join you". I look at her contemplating the seriousness of her face. I can only reply with a shrug. "Alright then" she says straightening herself out "let's get going". We set off on a steady pace, I usually have to run slower anyway because of the whole super human speed thing... even though I'm not even human so that last statement doesn't really make sense. I can feel Carrie itching to go faster, like she's pulling back too. "You can run ahead if you like, I won't be embarrassed to be out ran by a girl". She opens her mouth to speak but all I can hear is heavy breathing. "Well. I would. But." She's tired already? Man she needs to get some more exercise... or are all humans like this? "I don't know where you run". I slow down till eventually I come to a walking pace, Carrie copies. "We could just walk and talk, maybe about that bombshell you dropped on me last night?" She let out a long sigh and kept her eyes fixed at the floor, I see her eyes switch from her own feet to mine. "You have freakishly big feet man!" then her eyes flicker up to my face. "I really wish people would stop mentioning my big feet" and I really did, it was really becoming a turn off for girls, and I already had bad luck with them anyway. "And stop changing the subject!"

Last night after Carrie had told me she thought she was her mum peaked her head around her front door. "Carrie? Is that you? Its late lamb, come in, you have school in the morning, I don't want you to be tired." Carrie wiped the tears with her sleeve, gave me a small pretend smile, and then walked off into her humble house and the lights went dark.

"My mum said she met this guy recently, and he said he loves her, and her wants to marry her... In Malaysia. I don't really know why, but I don't want to leave, there's something special about where I live, it just reminds me of... Home" I can hear the sadness in her voice, and I agree with her, obviously my home back on Lorien has been destroyed, and I have only a couple of memories of what it was like, she has a point. I've lived here for most of my life, it is home now. "Reminds? Where is home to you like?" She looked puzzled at my question. "No I mean, I feel comfortable here, I fit in here, I don't think I would suit Malaysia very well". We walk the rest of the way in silence, and we stop at her house around 7:15. "Thank you James. I think were gonna be good friends, see you at school?" She does seem a lot happier than she did last night, I hope that it's because of me, because I do hope we are friends. "yeah sure, if I'm not late". She let out a little hum of laughter and she was gone, always disappearing as quickly as she showed up.

Sean was right, by the time I got in, the house was empty which meant I had the whole morning to do what I wanted. That generally just mean playing music as loud as I wanted and showering with the door open, cause I like to live on the edge. I was ready to go a little early so I headed over to Carrie's house, see if she wanted to walk in with me, but when her mum answered the door she said that Carrie had been out all morning, told her she was going for a jog and hadn't been back since. This was understandable, Carrie was obviously upset with her mum for even thinking of moving, she was probably just avoiding her. I set off on my slow walk towards the school. Huh, it was actually nice not to have to do something in a mad dash for once. He could notice things more, like the sound of birds in hedges, or what shoes people where wearing. Or even the note tied around the lamppost near the school gates. He stopped, and curiosity made him open it. It was written in thick black marker pen.

DO YOU REMEBER LORIEN TOO?


	4. Chapter 4

I spent the rest the rest of the morning wary of everyone around me, everyone looked suspicious, so I guess that meant no one looked suspicious. At lunch I found the quietest spot in the school, where almost no one visited. The library. I took out my phone and found one of the few numbers on my contacts list. I rang Sean, it was the only thing I thought to do. It kept ringing and ringing until it stopped. "Sean! Thank Pittacus you picked up, I-" I was cut off. "I'm sorry. The person you-" I hung up. Useless. He's bloody useless. I went into a state of panic, a frenzy. My mind went into survival mode, I was acting purely on instinct, and I wish I could tell you why, but my first thought was to find Carrie, a need to protect her was rooted deep inside me. I grabbed my bag that I had carelessly flung to the floor in my rush to talk to Sean and set off on a speed walk to the lunch hall. I only stopped when I reached the doorway into the large room filled with hundreds of other students. Would I ever be able to find her in this crowd? But I did. I heard her laugh to the left of me, and saw her with three friends, her head was thrown back in laughter, her blonde hair trailing of her shoulders and behind her, time froze then. I noticed her beauty, how gorgeous she looked happy. I snapped out of my day dream when I realised what I was doing. I rushed over to her, I didn't think about how I would explain it to her, I would just have to hope that she'd trust me.

"Carrie, um, hi. Can I speak to you for a sec?" I waited impatiently for an answer. "yeah sure, just let me-" I grabbed her bad in one arm and pulled her with another, and I practically dragged her out of the lunch hall. "Ow! James will you calm down, what's this about? Will you just let go you're hurting me!" I looked quickly for an area of isolation, I suddenly settled for a corner in the doorway, checked to see anyone watching or even listening. "Right, this is going to sound ridiculous but I'll explain the whole thing later, I just need you to trust me . I can't stay here, I need to go home and talk to my- urm, my dad, please come with me." She just nodded. Slightly surprised she agreed without any questions, I made my way towards the school office. I knocked on the little glass door and waited for a receptionist to answer. A little old lady came scooting over to the window and slid it open. "Hi, you two alright?" I pretended to not be in such a hurry and feigned politeness to the 5 foot 1 old lady. "HI, me and Carrie have a dentists appointment and we're running a little late, can we sign out at the front desk?"

Ten minutes later, we were at the front door of my house and I was looking for the spare key. "I'm sure he keeps it under one of these plant pots... Ah! Found it!" I unlocked the door and shouted for Sean knowing full well I wouldn't receive an answer. At least I tried. I turned around to Carrie looking at me with her arms folded over her chest and one eyebrow arched. "What?" I said defensively. "you know what" she said heading for the stairs "are you going to tell me what's happening, or did you just lie to get me out of schools so you could get some alone time with me?" I'm glad I decided to bring Carrie with me, she really knows how to lighten the mood. "come on, I'll tell you about it while I get my bags sorted"

When we got into my room, I rushed for the top of my wardrobe and found the biggest suitcase I could find. I started unpacking drawers and stuffing the clothes into my bag. "I got a note this morning, it talked about Lorien, my home planet, and I think someone is onto me, I think we should do what you're mum said. I think we should move to Malaysia." She stared at me for what seemed like minutes. "James, you don't understand. I wrote that note"


	5. Chapter 5

Confusion couldn't even start to describe how I was feeling at this point. All was silent until I let out an uncomfortable cough, trying to muster up something to say in my mind. "Well, that's unexpected" This wasn't time for jokes but i couldn't help but laugh at the situation. "Look, I thought you would have known! Don't you remember the night we arrived?" She was right, I should have known, but I'd tried so hard to forget that night, the night that had changed my life for the worst. But the more I tried to remember, I could see Carrie's face form in a memory. "I'd never really consider it, i thought we were all supposed to go separate ways?" Her face started to relax "yeah we were, but Sean and Lucy thought it would be a good idea to hide in plain sight. Like, if the mogadorians found one of us, they wouldn't expect another one to be in the exact same country, nevermind the same town! I guess it was a good idea in theory but…" Her eyes dwindled down towards her feet. "But what?" Carrie bit her lip "But Lucy, my Cepan, said that she thinks it was a bad idea because our numbers are so close together, and she said the Mogs will do anything in their power to find us… Even if that means hurting the ones we're close to, which means you James. They can't hurt you and not figure out you're part of the Garde" I had to take in what she just said, I sat on the edge of my bed, Carrie joined next to me and put her hand on mine. "So, Lucy told you this herself? And why would Sean keep this from me?" Carrie quickly shot her eyes away, and her hands moved into her own lap again. "Carrie? What aren't you telling me" I asked, searching for her gaze to meet mine, I arched an eyebrow, impatiently waiting for an answer. "Well, that's the thing, I don't think I'm supposed to know. I overheard Sean and Lucy talking about it the other night. Lucy said we should move somewhere remote, I think I heard her crying, Sean sounded sad too, he said he didn't want to leave her, that it was hard enough not being able to be together"

My mind filled with questions, but I couldn't figure out which one I wanted to know first. My forehead then started to ache, an uncomfortable, dull pain in my skull. "Does Lucy go out for days at a time?" Carrie looked at me with a scrunched up expression "What? What does that have to do wi-" "Just answer the question!" I shouted at her, I'd never shouted at anyone before. Carrie coward "Yeah she does, she said she is researching something". Great, My cepan is sneaking around like a freaking teenager, isn't that what we're supposed to be doing? "Why the sudden change? What made Lucy want to move? Even if someone did find you, they would have to find the rest before they could kill you" And thats when I noticed tears in Carrie's eyes "They think the Mogadorians are here James. Didn't Sean ever tell you? You're number Two! After they catch me you're next" I buried my eyebrows into the centre of my forehead. "What do you mean after you? That would make you the first? Lucy is lying Carrie, you can't be Number One!" I knew she was right, but I was hoping for some truth in my denial. "No James, the Mogs are looking for me, they found us, thats why we're leaving for Malaysia in the morning, I can't stay it's too risky. Im sorry"

And thats when I really knew. I'd thought about it before, but then it was just a stupid thought, some childish nonsense. But now it was clear. I was in love with Carrie. And there was no way I was letting her go.


End file.
